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Iași

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Iași is a very important city in Romania.

Map of Iași within Iași County
Map of Iași within Iași County

It sits in the historical region of Moldavia. The city is the third largest in the country.

Iassy-1701
Iassy-1701

It has served as a capital many times. It was the capital of Moldavia from 1564 to 1859. It was also the capital of Romania from 1916 to 1918. In 2018, the government named it the Historical Capital of Romania.

Piața Palat, Iași, Roumanie
Piața Palat, Iași, Roumanie

Many people move to Iași to learn and study. It is the third most important center for education in the country. The city is home to the oldest Romanian university.

Iaşi , "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University , detail 1
Iaşi , "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University , detail 1

There is also the first engineering school located here. Over 60,000 students attend five different public universities. The city is a busy place for research and new ideas. This makes it a very lively area for young people.

The city is famous for its art and culture.

Teatrul Național „Vasile Alecsandri“ (7)
Teatrul Național „Vasile Alecsandri“ (7)

It has the oldest national theatre in Romania. Visitors can see the oldest and largest botanical garden in the country.

Central University Library Jan 1st 2016
Central University Library Jan 1st 2016

The city also has a famous opera house and a state philharmonic. Many museums and historical monuments sit throughout the streets. Every October, the city hosts the largest religious pilgrimage in Romania. It is a place where history feels very close.

Different groups of people have shaped the city over many years. A large Jewish community lived in Iași for a long time. By the year 1899, they made up half of the population.

Sinagoga Mare Iasi Dec 2015
Sinagoga Mare Iasi Dec 2015

They built more than 127 synagogues in the city. During World War II, a very sad event called a pogrom happened. In 1941, many Jewish people were killed by government forces. Today, a few hundred Jewish people still live in the city.

Cemetery Gate2
Cemetery Gate2

They still use the Great Synagogue, which is one of the oldest in Europe.

A Greek community also helped the city grow. They held many important jobs in politics and teaching.

Casa Bals-Sturza11
Casa Bals-Sturza11

They even started a special school in 1709. This school taught many different subjects like math and physics.

RO IS Iaşi , panoramic view 4
RO IS Iaşi , panoramic view 4

The city has many beautiful buildings from these different times. You can see grand palaces and old churches everywhere. Iași remains a major center for business in the Moldavian region.

Hotel Traian, Iași
Hotel Traian, Iași
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🖼️ Images & Media (35)
File:Map_of_Iași_within_Iași_County.svg
Map_of_Iași_within_Iași_County.svg
File:Iași metropolitan area map.svg
Iași metropolitan area map.svg
File:Romania 2L 1871 telegraph stamp used Jassy.JPG
Romania 2L 1871 telegraph stamp used Jassy.JPG
File:Mănăstirea Cetăţuia23.jpg
Mănăstirea Cetăţuia23.jpg
File:Iassy-1701.jpg
Iassy-1701.jpg
File:Statuia lui Alexandru Ioan Cuza din Iaşi3.jpg
Statuia lui Alexandru Ioan Cuza din Iaşi3.jpg
File:Sinagoga Mare Iasi Dec 2015.jpg
Sinagoga Mare Iasi Dec 2015.jpg
File:Gesher edom shul.jpg
Gesher edom shul.jpg
File:Casa Bals-Sturza11.jpg
Casa Bals-Sturza11.jpg
File:Cemetery Gate2.jpg
Cemetery Gate2.jpg
File:RO IS Iaşi , panoramic view 4.JPG
RO IS Iaşi , panoramic view 4.JPG
File:Piața Palat, Iași, Roumanie.jpg
Piața Palat, Iași, Roumanie.jpg

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